Expandable processing and expression chamber

ABSTRACT

A flexible processing and/or expressor chamber for a biological cell processing apparatus is provided which may include a first side and a second side and having a expandable wall, wherein a first end of the expandable wall is attached to a circumference of the first side of the flexible chamber and a second end of the expandable wall is attached to a circumference of the second side of the flexible chamber. Either or both sides of the chamber may include an axial opening.

The present disclosure is related to co-pending U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 09/970,547, filed Oct. 3, 2001, entitled, “MULTIPLE PROCESSINGCHAMBER SET AND USE THEREOF, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/132,197, filed Aug. 28, 2002, entitled, “BLOOD PRODUCT TRANSFERSYSTEM”; and co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/211,143,filed Aug. 2, 2002, entitled, “PROCESSING BAG FOR COMPONENT SEPARATORSYSTEM AND METHOD OF REMOVING SEPARATED COMPONENTS. Each of theforegoing disclosures, in their entirety, is incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to processing and/or expressor chambers for amaterial processing device, and more particularly to a flexibleprocessing/expressor chamber/bag for a biological material, centrifugalprocessing device.

2. Background of the Invention

Flexible processing chambers (e.g., bags) for processing biologicalcells in a fixed volume centrifuge, and methods for use of suchprocessing bags, e.g., by centrifugation, are known. For example, PCTpatent application PCT/US98/10406 describes a flexible cell processingchamber having a rotating seal to keep the contents of the chambersterile during processing. Flexible processing chambers advantageouslyare disposable and thus suitable for single-use sterile applications.

For certain applications, such as blood processing including bloodcomponent separation, enzymatic conversion of blood type, and pathogeninactivation of blood components, multiple units of material(e.g.,blood) are processed at a time, in a single instrument under the sameconditions. Co-pending, and jointly assigned U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 09/970,547, discloses simultaneous processing of multipleprocessing chambers/bags which reduce the time and expense required toperform separation and conversion using only a single bag.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention provide a novelexpandable/collapsible processing and/or expressor bag for material(e.g., biological or otherwise) processing (for example) in acentrifugal or other processing device.

Accordingly, in a first embodiment of the present invention, a flexiblechamber is provided which may include a first side and a second side andhaving a circumferential expandable wall. A first end of the expandablewall may be attached to a circumference of the first side of theflexible chamber and a second end of the expandable wall may be attachedto a circumference of the second side of the flexible chamber.

In other embodiments of the present invention, a processing apparatusand/or a continuous flow centrifuge, may include one or more flexiblechambers according to the above embodiment. Such a processing apparatusand/or continuous flow centrifuge may be a biological cell processingapparatus for processing, for example, blood of a human or an animal.

These and other aspects of the invention will be described in connectionwith the drawings and the detailed description below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a centrifugal processing apparatus foruse with one or more flexible processing/expressor chambers according tosome embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2A illustrates a side view of a flexible processing/expressorchamber according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2B illustrates a cross-sectional, perspective view of a flexibleprocessing/expressor chamber according to the embodiment of the presentinvention shown in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3 illustrates a side, perspective view of a flexibleprocessing/expressor chamber according to another embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a processing/expressor chamber assembly according toanother embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5A is a side view of a processing/expressor chamber according toyet another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the processing/expressor chamber of theembodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 5A.

FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional, perspective view of theprocessing/expressor chamber of the embodiment of the inventionillustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary processing systemembodying an exemplary device for processing biological cells (e.g.,blood). Blood product, for example, is transferred from at least oneblood storage bag to a centrifuge for processing. Reference is made toU.S. Pat. No. 6,175,420 to Barry et al., granted Jan. 16, 2001 for amore comprehensive description of the processes and devices employed bysuch a system. Reference may also be made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,048 toJorgensen, granted Sep. 9, 1997 for further descriptions relating to thecentrifuge itself. Both foregoing patents are incorporated herein byreference, in their entirety.

Although embodiments of the present invention may be used with abiological/blood processing apparatus, the embodiments are equallyapplicable to other uses separate and apart from biological materialprocessing, and/or separate and apart from centrifugal processing.

Accordingly, FIG. 1 illustrates one device and process which enables thetransfer a blood product to the centrifuge using, for example, airpressure, as disclosed in co-pending and jointly owned U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/232,197, filed Aug. 28, 2002, the entiredisclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. In thisexample, an airtight vacuum/pressure chamber 110 is coupled to anassociated pump 112 by way of the tubing 114, which pumps or expels airfrom source 116 (e.g. ambient air). Within the chamber 110 are a seriesof blood product storage bags 120. Each of these bags is supported froma hanger 122 by means of a securing loop 124 associated with each bag.Individual lines or tubing from each bag 126A, 126B couples through thewall of the chamber by way an airtight fixture 126, positioned at thebottom of the chamber 110.

The processing device also includes a centrifuge 130 having one or moreassociated centrifuge processing bags 132 (which may also includeexpressor bags) and a distribution section 140 comprising a plurality offluid management cassettes 142 and a peristaltic pump 144. Also coupledto the cassettes 142 is a saline supply or bag 145 and reagentcompartment 146, and a waste bag 148 relating to the fluid managementcassettes. Not specifically illustrated in FIG. 1, but considered aspart of the system, is a computer controller which controls theoperation of the device and processing of material.

The flexible chamber/bag according to the present invention may providemultiple and/or expandable processing and chamber sets for processingsimultaneously and independently a number of separate samples at onetime in a centrifugal cell processing device (for example). The multipleprocessing chamber sets permit sterile addition and removal of samples(and processed fractions thereof), processing fluids (including enzymes,salts, buffers and other process chemicals), and waste products withoutthe need for rotating seals of any kind. Thus, the multiple processingchamber set represents a portion of a closed system for biological cellprocessing and includes a number of separate closed containers that canbe treated in series or in parallel. Further details of such a systemmay be found in co-pending and jointly assigned U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 09/970,547 (the '547 application), the entire disclosure ofwhich is also incorporated by reference.

As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, a processing or expressor bag 200,according to embodiments of the present invention, may include a firstside 202 and a second side 204 connected to the first sidecircumferentially via an expandable/collapsible wall 206. The expandablewall may include a pair of partitions for allowing an adjustable walllength. In that regard, a partition pair may include a first partition206 a, which includes one end attached to the circumference of the firstside 202, and a second linked partition 206 b attached to thecircumference of the second side 204.

As also shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, each side may include an axial openingfor housing a central hub. The hub may be used so that multipleprocessing/expressor bags may be assembled together. An example of sucha hub may be found in the '547 application. In that regard, FIG. 3illustrates an example of a processing bag 300 having a hub 302 providedin the axial opening on at least one side of the bag.

The hub allows multiple bags to be assembled together so that biologicaland/or other material sent to one or more processing bags may processedand expressed out of the centrifuge via the use of one or more expressorbags. In that regard, the '547 application discloses one or morearrangements of processing bags and expressor bags for processing. Forexample, FIG. 4 illustrates an assembly 400 of processing/expressor bags402, coupled via coupling 404 to a multi-lumen line 406 (for example),so that fluids may be directed into and out of either or both of one ormore of the processing bags and/or expressor bags. An example of such amulti-lumen line is disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser.No. 10/111,568, filed Oct. 27, 2000, entitled “CIRCUMFERENTIALLY DRIVENCONTINUOUS FLOW CENTRIFUGE”.

The flexible processing/expressor bags according to embodiments of thepresent invention may be made of natural or synthetic material, in oneor more layers or combined in one or more layers with other knownmaterials. In that regard, embodiments of the present invention arepreferably manufactured of a plastic material and sterilized prior touse.

The expandable wall incorporated into some of the embodiments of thepresent invention allow a processing and/or expressor bag to have anincreased and/or variable volume capacity. Specifically, aprocessing/expressor bag 500 may include a plurality of assembled pairs502 of wall partitions 502 a, 502 b.

Having now described some of the embodiments of the invention, it shouldbe apparent to those skilled in the art that the foregoing is merelyillustrative and not limiting, having been presented by way of exampleonly. Numerous modifications and other embodiments are within the scopeof ordinary skill in the art and are contemplated as falling within thescope of the invention. The contents of any references cited throughoutthis application are hereby incorporated by reference. The appropriatecomponents, processes, and methods of those documents may be selectedfor the present invention and embodiments thereof.

1. A flexible centrifuge chamber comprising a first side and a secondside and having an expandable wall, wherein a first end of theexpandable wall is attached to a circumference of the first side of theflexible chamber and a second end of the expandable wall is attached toa circumference of the second side of the flexible chamber, theexpandable wall comprises an accordion wall.
 2. The chamber according toclaim 1, further comprising an axial opening positioned in either ofboth of the first side and the second side.
 3. The chamber according toclaim 1, further comprising an axial opening positioned in both thefirst side and the second side.
 4. The flexible chamber according toclaim 1, wherein the chamber comprises a processing chamber.
 5. Theflexible chamber according to claim 1, wherein the chamber comprises anexpressor chamber.
 6. (canceled)
 7. The flexible chamber according toclaim 1, wherein the expandable accordion wall includes at least onepair of corresponding connected flaps, wherein a first flap of the pairof flaps includes a first circumferential end attached to thecircumference of the first side of the flexible chamber and wherein asecond flap of the pair of flaps includes a second circumferential endattached to the circumference of the second side of the flexiblechamber.
 8. The flexible chamber according to claim 7, wherein theexpandable accordion wall includes a plurality of pairs of flaps.
 9. Aprocessing apparatus for continuous flow centrifuge, comprising aflexible chamber comprising a first side and a second side having acircumferential expandable wall, wherein a first end of the expandablewall is attached to a circumference of the first side of the flexiblechamber and a second end of the expandable wall is attached to acircumference of the second side of the flexible chamber, the expandablewall comprises an accordion wall.
 10. The processing apparatus accordingto claim 9, further comprising an axial opening provided in at least oneof the first side of and the second side of the flexible chamber. 11.The processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the axialopening provided is included on both the first side of and the secondside of the flexible chamber.
 12. (canceled)
 13. The processingapparatus according to claim 9, wherein the expandable accordion wallincludes at least one pair of corresponding connected flaps, wherein afirst flap of the pair of flaps includes a first circumferential endattached to the circumference of the first side of the flexible chamberand wherein a second flap of the pair of flaps includes a secondcircumferential end attached to the circumference of the second side ofthe flexible chamber.
 14. The processing apparatus according to claim13, wherein the expandable accordion wall includes a plurality of pairsof flaps.
 15. The processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein theflexible chamber comprises a processing chamber for containing amaterial to be centrifuged.
 16. The processing apparatus according toclaim 9, wherein the flexible chamber comprises an expressor chamber forcontaining an expressor material.
 17. The processing apparatus accordingto claim 9, further comprising a plurality of flexible chambers.
 18. Theprocessing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein one or more of theplurality of flexible chambers comprise processing chambers forcontaining material to centrifuge and one or more of the plurality offlexible chambers comprise expressor chambers for containing expressormaterial.
 19. A continuous flow centrifuge including a plurality offlexible chambers, each comprising a first side and a second side,wherein either or both of the first side and the second side of eachchamber including an axial opening, the flexible chamber furthercomprising a circumferential expandable wall, wherein a first end of theexpandable wall is attached to a circumference of the first side of theflexible chamber and a second end of the expandable wall is attached toa circumference of the second side of the flexible chamber, theexpandable wall comprises an accordion wall.
 20. A biological cellprocessing apparatus comprising: a continuous flow centrifuge; and aflexible chamber comprising a first side and second side and having acircumferential expandable wall, wherein a first end of the expandablewall is attached to a circumference of the first side of the flexiblechamber and a second end of the expandable wall is attached to acircumference of the second side of the flexible chamber, the expandablewall comprises an accordion wall.